Sonia throws weight behind Manmohan, says party backs him

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday declared the "whole party stands behind Prime Minister Manmohan Singh". The reiteration of support for the PM at a rally in Mandya, Karnataka, came after Friday's "nonsense" remark by son and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who tore into an ordinance shielding criminal MPs.

On Sunday Sonia praised Singh at a Thiruvananthapuram rally for bringing social welfare schemes. Singh, who has been away in the US all this while for the UN General Assembly meet is due back in the country on Wednesday.

"They (BJP) ridicule our achievements; they make fun of our party and our prime minister," said Sonia.

Rahul's remarks that the ordinance should be "torn up and thrown away" came under scathing attack from the BJP, which saw it as a public censure of Singh.

Addressing a huge rally in Delhi on Sunday, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi accused Rahul of committing the "sin" of insulting the PM when he was abroad.

He also said there were "governments within the government" which was affecting growth and development.

Sonia, in her turn, asked the BJP why it had not taken any pro-poor measures during its six-year term at the Center and seven years in Karnataka.

"We are not afraid of the BJP's false propaganda. We are not afraid of their attack. We shall continue in our sincere efforts," said Sonia. "...BJP divides people, we (the Congress) bound the people together."

"The party under the able leadership of PM Manmohan Singh at the centre and CM Siddaramaiah in Karnataka are working hard to fulfill the needs of all people," she said.

Hope that the Congress would win the 2014 elections, Sonia thanked Karnataka voters for bringing the party into power in the state.

CM Siddaramaiah too attacked the BJP, saying Modi mantra would not work. "Modi is dreaming of becoming the PM. But it would remain just a dream."